What We Do

What we do

We work for organizations seeking to improve the lives of those they serve, and we are excited by what we do. Our excitement is backed by a proven design-led approach. Our practice centers around finding researched, current, and actionable design solutions for an aging population and those who care for them.

We are design experts on age-friendly experiences. What that really means is we are experts on creating positive interactions between people and the world around them. We understand the unique physical, social, and cognitive needs of people as they age. New demands and changes created by aging and generational preferences require specific design considerations, no matter the person or the place.

We fold our expertise on aging into design’s problem-finding and problem-solving processes. Our specialization allows us to contribute in different ways to projects of all sizes.

Design services

The places people go matter. Some have physical locations, like offices, coffee shops, and libraries; others are digital. We understand that most of these places attract a broad audience. The complexities in identifying and removing obstacles are often overlooked, affecting experiences. Positive experiences drive participation: they support individual activity, create engagement with the destination, and connect us together in shared community.

What we deliver

We advise clients on design decisions affecting their customers’ experiences. Our independent and expert design consultation services are supported by an evidence-based approach. We provide our clients with answers using our knowledge of universal, inclusive, and age-friendly principles to address the issues they face. We design solutions for places that work for everyone.

We work on projects of all sizes, and our pricing varies depending on the scope and duration of the support you require.

Services

Consulting services

Design reviews and audits

Staff training, such as age-friendly best practices

Related design services, such as evaluation and survey design

Research

Accurate information is critical to making decisions. As the demand for evidence-based design grows, many are unsure how to sort through the multitude of types, qualities, and accuracies of published research. For others, there is a gap between research and practice. Poor research forces designs that are limited, conform to norms, or do not address user expectations. We aim to bridge that divide and connect you to current actionable research that addresses best practices and informs design solutions.

What we deliver

Our research provides evidence on the impact of design. We seek out research and deliver answers that are coupled with actionable steps. If the right answer isn’t out there, we are ready to conduct research activities to provide you with accurate information. We aim to make significant change by providing meaningful contributions to your work.

Services

Primary research activities (i.e., new research, workshops)

Secondary research activities (i.e., literature reviews, reports)

Scholarship (i.e., publications, presentations, white papers)

Professional communications, such as blog contributions

Design training

People everywhere are realizing the importance of design. However, many hold an incomplete understanding of design, the design process, or the practical applications of this work. Part of the process is understanding people, specifically the growing number of those over 65 years of age and those who support them. We address these collective misconceptions about older adults and the aging process.

What we deliver

Our design training covers topics from the design process and universal design to inclusive design and age-friendly practices. We make design thinking and design approaches available to organizations of all sizes by providing a model for understanding aging experiences through the lens of design. This design training is structured to help your organization drive innovation and transformation through inclusiveness.